South Florida chefs uniting for Irma and Maria fundraisers

M.E.A.T. Eatery / Courtesy

M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom has locations in Boca Raton and Islamorada, and chef-owner George Patti will take part in a fundraisier Oct. 6 in Riviera Beach, Chefs for the Keys, to help Keys restaurant workers impacted by Hurricane Irma.

M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom has locations in Boca Raton and Islamorada, and chef-owner George Patti will take part in a fundraisier Oct. 6 in Riviera Beach, Chefs for the Keys, to help Keys restaurant workers impacted by Hurricane Irma. (M.E.A.T. Eatery / Courtesy)

The local restaurant community is banding together for hurricane relief. Several events are planned across South Florida in coming weeks to help those impacted by Irma in the Keys and Maria in Puerto Rico.

Chefs for the Keys, a new group formed to help Keys restaurant and bar workers left jobless by Irma, will hold a fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 6, at the Riviera Beach Marina Village, 200 E. 13th St., Riviera Beach. Tickets for the 7 p.m. event cost $125 and include open bar, food and entertainment.

Benjamin Rusnak / Courtesy

Rebel House in Boca Raton will be among the participants in Chef for the Keys, a fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, at the Riviera Beach Marina.

Rebel House in Boca Raton will be among the participants in Chef for the Keys, a fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, at the Riviera Beach Marina. (Benjamin Rusnak / Courtesy)

More than 30 chefs and restaurants will take part, including M.E.A.T. Taproom and Eatery (which has locations in Boca Raton and Islamorada), Rebel House of Boca Raton, Kapow! Noodle Bar of Boca Raton, Tucker Duke’s of Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach, the Cooper of Palm Beach Gardens and 50 Ocean of Delray Beach. Go to seventastings.com/chefsforthekeys for details.

Organizers say all proceeds will go to restaurant industry workers who have lost jobs and paychecks after the storm through the Florida Keys Fund/Gotta Love Them Fund, a nonprofit set up by the Islamorada Beer Company after the storm. “I have never seen such a grassroots effort come together so quickly,” says event publicist Tamra Fitzgerald.

Organizing chef Matthew McDonald of the National once lived and worked in Key West. Other chefs participating include Adrienne Grenier of 3030 Ocean at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale and Cindy Hutson of Ortanique in Coral Gables.

Tacology / Courtesy

The crispy shrimp tacos from Tacology in Miami. Santiago Gomez, the chef at Tacology and Cantina La Veinte is organizing a hurricane relief benefit Oct. 14, at Casa Florida, 437 SW 2nd Street, Miami, with other local chefs to aid local farms and purveyors hurt by Irma.

The crispy shrimp tacos from Tacology in Miami. Santiago Gomez, the chef at Tacology and Cantina La Veinte is organizing a hurricane relief benefit Oct. 14, at Casa Florida, 437 SW 2nd Street, Miami, with other local chefs to aid local farms and purveyors hurt by Irma. (Tacology / Courtesy)

On Oct. 14 six chefs from Miami and Latin America will stage Recipes for Change, a benefit for farmers and purveyors impacted by Irma in Homestead, Florida City and the Keys. The fundraiser will take place 4-11 p.m. at Casa Florida, 437 SW Second Street, Miami.

Mexican chef Santiago Gomez of Cantina La Veinte and Tacology in Miami will be joined by Carlos García (Miami-Venezuela), Renzo Garibaldi (Peru), Sebastián La Rocca (Argentina-Costa Rica), Mirciny Moliviatis (Guatemala) and Xavier Torres (Miami). Tickets cost $25 (six bites and a cocktail) or $50 (unlimited food and one cocktail) and are available online. For more information, go to facebook.com/recipesforchange.

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